How To Organize Kitchen Cabinets And Racks

Organizing kitchen cabinets and racks requires some planning and creative ideas. Here are simple tips to make kitchen storage organization easy and simple.

The kitchen is one of the most used places in any home. While, that alone, can be a reason to ensure that this important room is well-planned and kitchen cabinets and cupboards are arranged perfectly, it is also important to understand that organizing kitchen storage will make cooking easier and quicker. Here are some easy-to-do ideas and organizing tips to arrange shelves and racks in a neat and organized manner.

Using Existing Kitchen Storage

It is not always possible to build a new set of cabinets or buy an additional kitchen cupboard. In such circumstances, it is indeed, possible to maximize existing storage options by using a bit of ingenuity and imagination. Here are a few ways in which existing kitchen storage can be optimized to store more with ease.

• Fix hooks behind doors and on the inside of cabinet doors. These hooks can be used to hang oven mitts, rubber gloves, a message board or kitchen towels.
• Use drawer dividers or shallow trays to hold like items in place.
• Clear food storage containers can be used to store loose items such as cookie cutters, clips and other miscellaneous items
• If the kitchen is big enough, bring in a small table that may be lying unused and use it to stack a collection of cookbooks and a notepad to jot down groceries. Hang the message board or dry-erase board over this table.
• Keep items that are used frequently on lower shelves and place them in the front. Rarely used items and appliances can be relegated to the back of the cabinet.
• Create a kitchen junk drawer to hold essentials, such as lighters, candles, scissors, notepad, pens and other kitchen essentials. Use a drawer divider to organize it better. Alternatively, these items can be displayed prettily in a desktop caddy and placed on the kitchen table.
• Use under-the-sink storage to store dishwashing and cleaning supplies arranged neatly in a caddy.

Creating New Storage Options

When budget and space are not a constraint, it is a good idea to invest in a few items that will add to the overall look of a kitchen and be great storage solutions. Here are a few ideas to help get started.

• A hanging pot rack is a great investment since it keeps pots and pans at an arm’s length and frees up counter and cabinet space for other items. Moreover, it looks beautiful hanging down from the ceiling with a collection of gleaming pots and pans.
• Kitchen cabinet organizers are the best option for increasing cabinet storage and to create a perfectly organized look.
• Dish racks are also a great option to stack plates and flatware. They look good and offer a neat way of storing plates. One can easily opt for a drawer –sized dish rack that will free up counter space completely.
• Hutches, wall-mounted shelves, racks and cabinets are an ideal kitchen storage solution and can be used to store collections of crockery, cutlery and kitchen essentials.

Labeling And Arranging Items

While arranging items in the cabinets, shelves, racks or drawers, keep ease of use and symmetry in mind. Label food storage containers as well as cabinets so that family members know exactly what goes where. Display collections and unique items. Be innovative and experiment with various things. For instance, an avid baker can create wall art by displaying unusual or antique cake tins or cute cookie cutters.

Arrange items that are used together in one place. For instance, baking items, such as flour, caster sugar, cocoa, and the weighing scale can all be stored together next to the oven while the coffeemaker can be central for coffee mugs and ingredients to make that perfect cup of java can be placed in a wicker basket.

Keep arrangements simple and easy to maintain and reduce clutter by periodically revisiting cabinets, shelves, and racks and discarding items that haven’t been used in six months or a year. Wipe clean cabinets, doors and racks as well as storage containers and appliances every week or as they get dirty to prevent a buildup of grease and grime.

Useful Resources For Kitchen Organization

There are several places where one can find great deals and finds to increase and organize kitchen storage options. Thrift stores, garage sales, and eBay are great for the budget buyer while Amazon offers good deals and useful options for new purchases.

Do use these ideas to optimize existing kitchen storage or invest in some new options and arrange kitchen essentials, so that they do not just look good but also make cooking easier and quicker. A kitchen is, indeed, the heart of a home and a well-arranged kitchen more so.